Flame
by kimmiesue
Summary: The war has just ended and Hermione meets and old friend with a new proposition. HG/CW slightly PP/RW


**Ooooh another story! Yep, another one! I am on a roll this month c:**

**R&R**

**I own nothing!**

Flame

Hermione Granger watched as Voldemort's lifeless body dropped to the ground. It seemed as if the whole Great Hall had hushed and that everyone could hear the cold, audible slap it had against the ground; forever silencing the evil he would have continued to create. In that single moment, she felt so gratified and relieved that the mad man was finally dead. She searched the room, the death eaters had already fled the scene when they realized that Voldemort had truly fallen, never to return.

It was a split second before she was enclosed in a room full of cheers, claps, and people pressing down on her, asking questions, patting her on the back, hugging her, and so on. The only people she wanted to see right now were the people who were with her every step of the way, the Weasleys and the Order. She calmly endured the new fame and focus on herself as she made her way to where the Weasleys were sitting, also calmly enduring the newfound fame.

She watched as Harry held Luna Lovegood's hand, caressing her grief-stricken face, her father had died fighting for the Order. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a flash of red and realized it was Ron. He was walking determined, seemingly with a purpose, towards the other side of the room where Pansy Parkinson was standing near a smirking Draco Malfoy.

Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys, including Fleur, watched as he took her face in his hands and kissed her full on the lips. The dark-haired Slytherin's face turned from pleasant surprise to complete and total shock as the red-headed Gryffindor got down on one knee and pulled out a dark green velvet box. Even from across the room, it was tell-tale that Ron was asking Pansy to marry him.

The first noise made in the room after Pansy said 'yes' and hugged her husband-to-be was Fred and George wolf-whistling. The rest of the room followed the twins' lead and began to clap and cheer.

Mrs. Weasley bustled over to her son to chastise him for not telling her sooner and to embrace her-daughter-in-law-to-be in a bone crushing hug. The rest of the Weasleys made their way over to Ron almost as quickly, clapping him on the back and altogether accepting Pansy as one of their own already.

Hermione began to slip away, hoping that this new distraction would keep the attention off of her. All she wanted was to go to her favorite place and think. She walked through the warm stone halls, she reflected on the eccentric past she, Harry, and Ron shared.

From fighting trolls to being on the run, to the final day of the war, they had been inseparable. She knew from the Yule Ball that she had liked Ron, but that she had not loved him. She loved him as she would love a brother. That's what Harry and Ron were to her, her family.

Before she knew it, she was sitting under the great oak tree near the lake, staring out onto the lake's calm, untouched surface. It was then that tears finally rolled free from her eyes and onto her cheeks. She thought of how much she had endured with her best friends. Being on the run from the Ministry had been one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. She had found out in the middle of their journey that her parents had died in a car crash. A car crash, of all things that she had been prepared to accept a car crash was not one of them.

She heard the soft sound of foot steps not too far away from her and grabbed her wand from inside of her cloak, pointing it at the intruder, ready to attack. "Who is it?" She asked, braver than she felt.

"Mione, relax." She heard the rough, soothing voice of Charlie Weasley and immediately relaxed, feeling safe at once.

"Okay Charlie." She said, and lay back on the grass to stare at the stars above her. She felt Charlie lay down next to her and heard him ask, "So Mia, a year without a letter, a year without any sign from any of you? It was hard Mia."

Hermione rolled onto her side to stare at the man lying next to her, "We had to Charlie, you know we had to."

"I know Mione, it was just hard. I mean, we were all worried about you. I am just glad you are safe." He said and gestured for her to roll closer to him.

Hermione snuggled into his arms for a hug and remained on his chest, gazing at the stars. _The flame was still there_, she mused as the heat from his arms sending butterflies in swarms throughout her chest.

"Hermione," Charlie paused and Hermione looked up at him, "Would you do me a favor?"

"Yes, Charlie?" She asked, sitting up slightly to see his nervous face better.

"Marry me?" He whispered.

Hermione was stunned for a moment, she had never even thought that Charlie would want to keep up a relationship after she left him for so long. She saw he was becoming more nervous and she swiftly pressed her lips to his, loving the way it felt so natural and right.

They broke apart and she whispered, "Yes."

The couple spent the rest of the night under the stars in each other's arms, cuddling, talking, making plans for the rest of their future.


End file.
